Country profile
Coastal fisheries snapshot
demersal fish (including emperors, surgeonfish and parrotfish), invertebrates from intertidal habitats (e.g. palolo worm), and nearshore pelagic fish (including trevally and tuna) using a range of fishing methods.
Top 5 training topics
Gender participation
Male participations: 270 (48%) · Female participations: 292 (52%)
Yearly participations (2016–2025)
Projected changes in atmospheric & ocean climate (by 2050)
Relative to 1995-2014 baseline. Regional CMIP6 projections applied to Samoa's climate zone (Southwest Pacific Convergence).
Coastal fisheries (current vs 2050)
demersal fish (including emperors, surgeonfish and parrotfish), invertebrates from intertidal habitats (e.g. palolo worm), and nearshore pelagic fish (including trevally and tuna) using a range of fishing methods.
Oceanic fisheries (current vs 2050)
Tuna fisheries — skipjack, yellowfin, bigeye and albacore. Habitat areas projected to shift with ocean temperature, stratification and oxygen content changes.
Freshwater & estuarine fisheries (current vs 2050)
Inland fisheries are expected to be affected by changes in rainfall patterns, river flow, and habitat accessibility by 2050.
Aquaculture (current vs 2050)
Mariculture impacted by sea surface temperature, ocean acidification and intense storms. Freshwater aquaculture may benefit from increased freshwater habitat but face disease and temperature pressure.
tilapia, mullet, trochus and giant clams, which provide food, local livelihoods and jobs
Livelihoods & economies (current vs 2050)
Fisheries and aquaculture provide household income, jobs and government revenue. Climate-driven changes will affect employment and economic contribution.
Aquatic food security (current vs 2050)
Aquatic (blue) foods provide an important source of nutrition. Population growth combined with climate impacts may create deficits in fish supply.
Drivers of impact on fish availability by 2050: 79% climate change · 21% population change
Blue food production systems (current vs 2050)
Blue foods contribute to nutrition security, economies, livelihoods and jobs. Climate impacts on coastal, oceanic, freshwater fisheries and aquaculture together determine the system's resilience.
make high contributions to nutrition security and health, economies, and livelihoods and jobs. Compared to other Pacific islands, projected climate impacts to blue food production by 2050 are medium to high.
Recommended adaptation: Food & nutrition security
- Implement sustainable ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management Food and Nutrition 2
- Diversify blue food production systems Food and Nutrition 6
- Promote education and awareness on the importance of protecting aquatic habitats, species and the foods they supply
Recommended adaptation: Sustainable livelihoods
- Apply innovative technologies and climate-smart tools for pond aquaculture and mariculture Livelihoods 4
- Develop sustainable marine and coastal tourism
Recommended adaptation: Economies & government revenue
- Develop policies and strategies that integrate climate change implications into fisheries and aquaculture management
- Implement energy efficiency programs for fisheries and aquaculture Economic Revenue 4
- Maintain the contribution of fisheries and aquaculture to government revenue and economies
- Climate-proof infrastructure
Community-based Fisheries Management — Samoa
Source: Govan & Lalavanua 2022 (SPC), updated from FAO & SPC Outlook 2026. See the regional CBFM Report for full analysis.
Coastal fisheries in Samoa
demersal fish (including emperors, surgeonfish and parrotfish), invertebrates from intertidal habitats (e.g. palolo worm), and nearshore pelagic fish (including trevally and tuna) using a range of fishing methods.
Tuna fisheries in Samoa
The Pacific is home to the world's largest tuna fishery, with member countries' EEZs producing over half of the global tuna catch. Samoa's EEZ covers 127,950 km², providing significant access to tuna and other oceanic resources.
Fisheries Contributions to Samoa's Economy
Harvest by sector (1999 → 2021)
Volume and economic value of fisheries production by sector, from successive Benefish studies. Use the toggle to switch between volume (tonnes) and value (ST$).
Fishing contribution to GDP
Official contribution of fishing (and aquaculture, where included) to Samoa's GDP, in T$ (millions). The line shows the percentage of total GDP.
Key findings from Benefish Study 4
15.2 Contribution of fishing to GDP
Current official contribution The contribution of fishing to GDP, as stated in the GDP June 2022 Quarterly Report (SBS 2022c), is given in Table 15-4. Fishing 57.4 47.9 43.7 43.6 37.4 Samoa GDP 2,252.2 2,313.2 2,417.2 2,209.6 2,191.2 Fishing as a % of GDP 2.5% 2.1% 1.8% 2.0% 1.7% Method used to calculate the official fishing contribution to GDP The staff of the Samoa Bureau of Statistics (SBS) explained that in the past the production approach for estimating GDP has been used, but for 2022 the SBS will use the expenditure approach. For GDP purposes, the fishing sector is divided into market and non-market components: • The market component is comprised of inshore catches that are sold, offshore fish purchased and consumed, and exports. The HIES, fish outlet surveys, and export statistics are used to estimate the gross output of this component. • The non-market component is equivalent to the coastal subsistence of the present study. The gross output for the non-market component is calculated from the HIES and adjusted yearly. The gross output of market fishing is multiplied by a value-added ratio of 0.85 to obtain the value added (equivalent to the contribution to GDP). For the non-market component, gross output is multiplied by a value-added ratio of 0.95.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
15.3 Exports of fishery production
The Quarterly Merchandise Trade Report for December 2021 (SBS 2022b) gives Samoa's fish exports and total exports (Table 15-6). It is evident that in the years covered by the table, the fish exports of the country declined in both relative and absolute terms. This is likely to be due to the negative impacts of Covid. In the decade before 2019, the situation was very different.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
15.4 Government revenue from fisheries
Access fees for offshore fishing In 2021 there were two types of authorised offshore fishing in the Samoa EEZ: • Purse seining by vessels covered by the U.S. Tuna Treaty. Despite little or no fishing by that fleet occurring in Samoan waters in 2021, the country nonetheless received a payment under the treaty's licensing arrangements. The amount of that payment is not readily available, but it can be estimated from payments made to neighbouring countries.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
15.5 Fisheries-related employment
The Samoa Agriculture Census 2019 is quite relevant to fisheries employment in the country. The 440-page report of the census (SBS 2021) has a chapter dedicated to fisheries. Some of the results related to fisheries employment are: • Of the 28,516 households in Samoa in 2019, 2,759 (9.7%) were engaged in fishing activities during the reference period of three months prior to interviews.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
15.6 Fish consumption
Table 15-8 (below) summarises recent estimates of fish consumption in Samoa. It is evident that there is some inconsistency, or at least lack of clarity, in what is being measured (e.g. fresh fish only, fresh plus canned) and how it is measured (e.g. fish actually consumed or whole fish equivalent). Source Year for estimate Estimate Comments Troubat et al. (2020) This is a study of food security and food consumption in Samoa.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
Samoa — country resources
Direct access to country-specific chapters, regional report cards and economic studies.